US-12623151-B2 - User accessibility system and method

Abstract

A user accessibility method for a videogame system includes obtaining trophy records for a plurality of games played by the user, generating an accessibility profile responsive to accessibility issues indicated by at least some of the trophy records, and modifying one or more operational parameters of the videogame system in response to the generated accessibility profile.

Inventors

• Mark Jacobus Breugelmans

Assignees

• SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230817

Priority Date

20220901

Claims (16)

1. 1 . A method comprising: obtaining a trophy record for one or more games played by a user, the trophy record including a classified trophy that indicates one or more accessibility issues based on a user winning or not winning the classified trophy; generating an accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy; and modifying one or more operational parameters of a videogame system based at least on the generated accessibility profile.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , the trophy record including a second classified trophy that indicates one or more different accessibility issues compared to the classified trophy.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , the trophy record including a second classified trophy that indicates one or more proficiencies of the user.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user comprises: generating a profile indicating a first accessibility issue of the one or more accessibility issues based on the user winning the classified trophy.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user comprises: generating a profile indicating a first accessibility issue of the one or more accessibility issues based on the user not winning the classified trophy.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user comprises: generating a profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy and an expectation of winning or not winning the classified trophy.
7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user comprises: generating a profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy and an expectation of winning or not winning trophies at least partially similar to the classified trophy.
8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user comprises: generating a profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy and how close within a game a success criterion for winning the classified trophy is to the last progress of the user in the game.
9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , in which the accessibility profile comprises a histogram of classified accessibility issues populated responsive to the trophy record indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user.
10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , in which the accessibility profile comprises one or more accessibility categorizations of the user responsive to the one or more accessibility issues indicated by the classified trophy.
11. 11 . The method of claim 1 , in which at least a first part of the accessibility profile is accessible via an application programming interface, and the step of modifying the one or more operational parameters of the videogame system comprises a videogame modifying one or more selected from the list consisting of: i. an operational parameter relating to user input; ii. an operational parameter relating to user dexterity; iii. an operational parameter relating to user vision; iv. an operational parameter relating to user hearing; and V. an operational parameter relating to user cognition.
12. 12 . The method of claim 1 , comprising the steps of: for a game to be prospectively played by the user, obtaining a second trophy record representing a cohort of other users; obtaining for at least some of the trophies in the second trophy record respective classifications indicating one or more accessibility issues; comparing at least some of the classifications to the accessibility profile of the user; and in response to the comparison, providing one or more selected from the list consisting of: i. a recommendation whether or not to play the game; ii. a recommendation whether or not to play a particular game mode; iii. a recommendation to select one or more game settings; and iv. a recommendation to use a particular input method.
13. 13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising the steps of: for each of a plurality of games to be prospectively played by the user, obtaining a second trophy record representing a cohort of other users; obtaining for at least some of the trophies in the second trophy record respective classifications indicating one or more accessibility issues; comparing at least some of the classifications to the accessibility profile of the user; and in response to the comparisons, ranking the plurality of games according to how well the games meet the accessibility needs of the user as indicated by their accessibility profile.
14. 14 . A computer program comprising computer executable instructions adapted to cause a computer system to perform a user accessibility method comprising the steps of: obtaining a trophy record for one or more games played by a user, the trophy record including a classified trophy that indicates one or more accessibility issues based on a user winning or not winning the classified trophy; generating an accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy; and modifying one or more operational parameters of a videogame system based at least on the generated accessibility profile.
15. 15 . A user accessible videogame system comprising: a records processor adapted to obtain a trophy record for one or more games played by a user, the trophy record including a classified trophy that indicates one or more accessibility issues based on a user winning or not winning the classified trophy; a profile processor adapted to generate an accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy; and a parameter processor adapted to modify one or more operational parameters of a videogame system based at least on the generated accessibility profile.
16. 16 . The method of claim 1 , comprising: detecting that the user has won or has not won the classified trophy; and in response to detecting that the user has won or has not won the classified trophy, generating the accessibility profile indicating the one or more accessibility issues for the user based on the user winning or not winning the classified trophy.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user accessibility system and method for a videogame platform. Description of the Prior Art Modern videogames can be complex and place considerable demands on a player of such a game. Typically this provides the player with immersion as they fully focus on the game and are absorbed into it. However for some players, aspects of such a game may be difficult to overcome due to any one or more of a range of sensory, cognitive, or motor issues that may impair their enjoyment of the game or, more critically, their ability to access the game or progress within it. Whilst a game could be adapted to be able to mitigate or alleviate at least some such issues for a player, it is will be necessary to identify what issues to address in this way within the game. The present invention seeks to mitigate or alleviate this problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Various aspects and features of the present invention are defined in the appended claims and within the text of the accompanying description. In a first aspect, a user accessibility method for a videogame system is provided in accordance with claim 1. In another aspect, a user accessible videogame system is provided in accordance with claim 15. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a user accessible videogame system in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating a trophy system of a user accessible videogame system in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a user accessibility method for a videogame system in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS A user accessibility system and method are disclosed. In the following description, a number of specific details are presented in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to a person skilled in the art that these specific details need not be employed to practice the present invention. Conversely, specific details known to the person skilled in the art are omitted for the purposes of clarity where appropriate. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows an example of an entertainment system 10, being a computer or console such as the Sony® PlayStation 5 ® (PS5). The entertainment system 10 comprises a central processor 20. This may be a single or multi core processor, for example comprising eight cores as in the PS5. The entertainment system also comprises a graphical processing unit or GPU 30. The GPU can be physically separate to the CPU, or integrated with the CPU as a system on a chip (SoC) as in the PS5. The entertainment device also comprises RAM 40, and may either have separate RAM for each of the CPU and GPU, or shared RAM as in the PS5. The or each RAM can be physically separate, or integrated as part of an SoC as in the PS5. Further storage is provided by a disk 50, either as an external or internal hard drive, or as an external solid state drive, or an internal solid state drive as in the PS5. The entertainment device may transmit or receive data via one or more data ports 60, such as a USB port, Ethernet® port, WiFi® port, Bluetooth® port or similar, as appropriate. It may also optionally receive data via an optical drive 70. Interaction with the system is typically provided using one or more handheld controllers 80, such as the DualSense® controller in the case of the PS5. Audio/visual outputs from the entertainment device are typically provided through one or more A/V ports 90, or through one or more of the wired or wireless data ports 60. Where components are not integrated, they may be connected as appropriate either by a dedicated data link or via a bus 100. An example of a device for displaying images output by the entertainment system is a head mounted display ‘HMD’ 802, worn by a user 800. In embodiments of the present description, such an entertainment system is configured to operate as a user characterisation system. Alternatively or in addition the functionality of such a user characterisation system may be performed by a remote central server (not shown), or shared between the entertainment system and server, as applicable. It is desirable to characterise an accessibility profile for a user; that is to say, identify games or parts of games that either may be particularly well suited to the abilities of the user, or where limits or differences in the abilities of a user may make a game or part o